Draft-gear for street-cars



Av e h s m B e h s 2 S R A 0 m B NR IT NS R o UP DR u. G T F A R D u d 0 M 0 W No. 566,666. Patented Aug. 25, 1896.

WITNESSES.

IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEXS.

(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 2,

R. DUNNING. DRAFT GEAR FOE STREET CARS.

No. 566,666. Patented Aug. 25, 1896.

0 Ct? a W L 7 *f WITNESSES I INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

NiTED STATES ROBERT DUNNING, OF BUFFALO, NEW? YORK.

DRAFT-G EAR FOR STREET-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,566, dated August 25, 1896.

Application filed March 19, 1896. Serial No. 583,922. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT DUNNING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Iniprovement in Draft-Gear for Street-Oars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the draft-gear of street-cars, and particularly to street-cars which are operated by cables or motors.

In street-cars of this character as usually constructed the draw-bars project in front of the bufier-blocks, which is objectionable because persons who are caught by the lifeguards are liable to be injured by striking against the draw-bars, and it also prevents the cars from being placed close together when housing the same.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the draw-bar may be readily and easily shifted rearwardly on the under side of the car-body, so that it does not proj ect in front of the buffer-block when it is not required.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a street-car provided with my improved draft-gear. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, of the draftgear and connecting parts, showing the drawbar in its operative or projected position. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the draw-bar in its inoperative or retracted position. Fig. at is a perspective view of the follower-plate. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the draft-gear. Figs. 6 and 7 arevertical transverse sections in lines 6 6 and 7 '7, Fig. 2, respectively.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents one of the platforms of a streetcar; I), the longitudinal beams or timbers supporting the same; 0, the buffer-block arranged on the front side of the platform, and D the life-guard, which is hung upon the platform and projects forwardly from the same.

E represents the draw-bar,arrangcd lengthwise underneath the platform and supported near its front end by a hanger 6, depending from the platform. The rear end of the drawbar is pivoted to the front end of a tensionrod F, which is arranged lengthwise in a guide-frame G, secured to the under side of the platform, and which extends through an opening gin the front end of the guide-frame.

H represents a tension-spring which surrounds the tension-rod and whereby the draft upon the draw-bar is cushioned. This spring bears with its front end against an abutmentpla-te I, mounted on the front portion of the tension-rod and with its rear end against a follower-plate J, mounted on the rear portion of the tension-rod. The abutment and fol lower plates are both guided in the guideframe so as to be capable of lengthwise move ment thereon by engaging with the sides and bottom of the guide-frame, and each of these plates is held against vertical displacement by means of laterally-projecting lugs t', formed on opposite sides of the plate and engaging with longitudinal slots 11, formed in the sides of the guide-frame. The follower-plate bears with its rear side against a shoulder j on the rear end of the tension-rod, which shoulder is preferably formed by a screw-nut applied to the screw-threaded rear end of the tension-rod. The abutment-plate bears with its front side against a shoulderj' on the front portion of the tension-rod and against the front end of the guideframe when the parts are in their normal position.

If the draw-bar is pulled forwardly while it is coupled with the draw-bar of another car, the spring is compressed by the forward movement of the follower-plate toward the abutment-plate, the latter being held against forward movement with the draw-bar during this operation by bearing against the front end of the guide-frame, thereby cushioning the draft upon the drawbar.

For the purpose of permitting the draw-bar to be shifted lengthwise, so that it projects into an operative position in front of the buffer-block, or to be retracted into an inoperative position, so that it does not project in front of the buffer-block, an adjustable stop device is provided, which is constructed as follows;

K represents a bifurcated stop-arm arranged lengthwise in the rear .portionof the guide-frame and secured with its rear end to a transverse rock-shaft L, whereby the stoparm is raised into an inoperative position or lowered into an operative position. The shaft L is preferably made square in crosssection and passes through a square opening in the stop-arm for compelling the latter to turn with the rock-shaft.

m m are two j ournal-sleeves whereby the rock-shaft is journaled in the guide-frame. These sleeves are mounted on the rock-shaft on opposite sides of the stop-arm, each sleeve having a square opening through which the shaft passes, a cylindrical outer side, which is j ournaled in a correspondinglyshaped opening formed in the longitudinal side of the guide-frame, and an annular flange m,

formed on the inner end of the sleeve and bearing against the inner side of the guideframe for limiting the outward movement of the sleeve.

N represents a longitudinal actuating-rod whereby the stop is raised and lowered and which has its front end arranged adjacent to the front end-of the-draw-bar and supported in a hanger or, while its rear end is secured to the lower end of arock-arm n, which depends from one end of the rock-shaft. The front ends of the bifurcated portions of the stoparm are each provided with a curved stopface 0, which is concentric with the pivot of the stop-arm and which is adapted to bear against a correspondingly-curved stop face 0 on the rear side of the follower-plate. The

downward movement of the stop-arm is limited by a stop 0 which is formed on the follower-plate at the lower end of the curved face 0.

In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 2 the draw-bar and its cushioning devices are moved forwardly into an operative position, and the stop-arm is lowered into engagement with the stop-face of the follower-plate,whereby the draw-bar and cushioning devices are held against backward movement. Upon raising the stop-arm by pulling the rod forwardly until the stop-arm clears the followerplatefahe cushioning devices, together with the draw-bar, can be shifted rearwardly until the draw-bar does not project in front of the buffer-block, as represented in Fig. 3. Then the cushioning-spring is expanded to its fullest extent in the normal position of the parts shown in Fig. 2, the pressure is taken up by the shoulders on the tension-rod against which the abutment and follower plates engage, so that no pressure is exerted against the stoparm unless a rearward pressure is exerted against the draw-bar, thereby enabling the stop-arm to be easily operated for disengaging the same from or-engaging the same with the follower-plate.

By arranging the front end of the actuating-rod close to the front end of the draw-bar both hands of the operator can be employed at the same time for shifting the stop device and the draft-gear.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with the car-body and a longitudinally novable draw-bar, of a cushioning device connected with the draw-bar and'capable of being shifted lengthwise on the car-body with the draw-bar, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a draw-bar and a guide-frame, of a tension-rod connected with the draw-bar and provided with front and rear shoulders, an abutment-plate capable of longitudinal movement in said frame and adapted to bear against the front shoulder of the tension-rod and against the front portion of said frame, a followerplate capable of longitudinal movement in said frame and bearing against the rear shoulder of the tension-rod, a spring interposed between said plates, and a movable stop mounted on said frame and adapted to engage with the follower-plate, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a draw-bar and a guide-frame, of a tension-rod connected with the draw-bar and provided with front and rear shoulders, an abutment-plate capable of longitudinal movement in said frame and adapted to'bear against the-front shoulderof the tension-rod and against the front portion of said frame, a follower-plate capable of longitudinal movement in said frame and bearing against the rear shoulder of the tension-rod, a spring interposed between said plates, a transverse rock-shaft and a stop arm mounted'on said shaft and adapted to engage with said follower-plate,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a draw-bar and a guide frame of a tension-rod connected with the draw-bar and provided with front and rear shoulders, an abutment-plate capable of longitudinal movement in said frame and adapted to bearaga'inst the front shoulder of the tension-rod and against the front portion of said frame, a follower-plate capable of longitudinal movement in said frame and bearing'against the rear shoulderof the tension-rod, a spring interposed between said plates, a transverse rock-shaft, and a stop arm mounted on said shaft, and provided with a curved stop-face adapted to engage with a correspondingly-shaped stop -face formed on the rear side of the follower-plate. substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a draw-bar and a guide-frame, of a tension-rod connected with the draw-bar and provided with front and t rear shoulders, an abutment-plate capable 01: longitudinal movement in said frame and adapted to bear against the front shoulder or the tension-rod and against the front portion connected at its rear end with an arm on the of said frame, of a follower-plate capable of rock-shaft, substantially as set forth. 1o longitudinal movement in said frame and Witness myhand this 8th day of February, bearing against the rear shoulder of the ten- 1896.

5 sion-rod, a, spring interposed between said ROBERT DUNNING.

plates, a transverse rock-shaft provided with \Vitnesses: a stop-arm adapted to engage with the fol- THEO. L. POPP, lower-plate and a, longitudinal actuating-rod ELLA R. DEAN. 

